Engine lubricant heating and/or cooling apparatus

Abstract

A heat transfer apparatus for cooling and/or heating engine lubricant, fuel, and engine oil is provided which includes a heat-transferring jacket. The heat transferring jacket includes a body having a plurality of fins. The body further includes an air-intake inlet, a plurality of air-exhaust outlets formed along the first lateral terminus and the second lateral terminus, and a means for securing the body to an oil filter.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A heat-transferring jacket comprising:
 a body, the body comprising:
 a first lateral terminus; 
 a second lateral terminus; 
 an inner-wall and an outer-wall, the inner-wall comprises a first longitudinal terminus and the outer-wall comprises a second longitudinal terminus, the first longitudinal terminus is separated spatially from the second longitudinal terminus by an opening, and wherein the body further comprising a plurality of fins disposed between the first and second lateral terminuses; 
 
 an air-intake inlet through which cool air enters, the air-intake is formed in the body approximately a mid-point between the first lateral terminus and the second lateral terminus; 
 a plurality of air-exhaust outlets formed along the first lateral terminus and the second lateral terminus, the plurality of air-exhaust outlets provide openings through which heat and heated air is released to the atmosphere; and 
 means for securing the body to an oil filter, wherein the means for securing the body to an oil filter comprises a pair of supports disposed substantially parallel to an arrangement of the plurality fins, wherein the pair of supports includes a plurality of indexing apertures through which mechanical fasteners are received and tightened which securely clamps the first longitudinal terminus and the second longitudinal terminus together and compresses and tightens the body of the jacket about the external circumferential surface of the oil filter. 
 
     
     
       2. The heat-transferring jacket of  claim 1 , wherein the
 plurality of fins is disposed between the inner-wall and the outer-wall in a traverse arrangement, and wherein the plurality of fins substantially circumscribe a top-half portion and a bottom half portion of the body, thereby forming a channel circumscribing the outer-wall of the body, the channel is in fluid communication with the air intake inlet, and wherein the body is slid over the free end of an oil filter such that an external circumferential surface of the oil filter engages the inner-wall of the body. 
 
     
     
       3. A heat-transferring jacket comprising:
 a body comprising a first lateral terminus and a second lateral terminus, the body further comprising an inner-wall having an inner circumference and an outer circumference, the inner-wall comprises a first longitudinal terminus and a second longitudinal terminus, the first longitudinal terminus is separated spatially from the second longitudinal terminus by an opening, and wherein the body comprising a plurality of fins mutually coupled with outer circumference of the inner-wall, the plurality of fins substantially circumscribe a top-half portion and a bottom-half portion of the outer circumference of the body, and wherein the plurality of fins comprises a plurality of vents arranged along a longitudinal length of the plurality of fins; 
 an air-intake inlet formed in the body; 
 a plurality of air-exhaust outlets formed along the first lateral terminus and the second lateral terminus of the body, the plurality of air-exhaust outlets provide openings through which heat and heated air is released to the atmosphere; and 
 means for securing the body to an oil filter, wherein the means for securing the body to an oil filter comprises a pair of supports disposed substantially parallel to an arrangement of the plurality fins, wherein the pair of supports includes a plurality of indexing apertures through which mechanical fasteners are received and tightened which securely clamps the first longitudinal terminus and the second longitudinal terminus together and compresses and tightens the body of the jacket about the external circumferential surface of the oil filter. 
 
     
     
       4. The heat-transferring jacket of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fins is arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the plurality of fins. 
     
     
       5. The heat-transferring jacket of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fins is arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plurality of fins. 
     
     
       6. The heat-transferring jacket of  claim 3 , wherein the body is slid over the free end of the oil filter such that an external circumferential surface of the oil filter engages the inner circumference of the inner-wall of the body. 
     
     
       7. An oil filter comprising:
 a canister housing coupled to a base plate having a gasket retainer and expandable gasket seal, the housing and base plate comprising a center tube having filter media and one or more bypass means; and 
 a heat-transferring jacket coupled to the housing, the jacket comprising:
 a body, the body comprising:
 a first lateral terminus; 
 a second lateral terminus; 
 an inner-wall and an outer-wall, the inner-wall comprises a first longitudinal terminus and the outer-wall comprises a second longitudinal terminus, the first longitudinal terminus is separated spatially from the second longitudinal terminus by an opening, and wherein the body further comprises a plurality of fins disposed between the first and second lateral terminuses; 
 
 an air-intake inlet formed in the body; 
 a plurality of air-exhaust outlets formed along the first lateral terminus and the second lateral terminus, the plurality of air-exhaust outlets provide openings through which heat and heated air is released to the atmosphere; and 
 means for securing the body to the oil filter, wherein the means for securing the body to an oil filter comprises a pair of supports disposed substantially parallel to an arrangement of the plurality fins, wherein the pair of supports includes a plurality of indexing apertures through which mechanical fasteners are received and tightened which securely clamps the first longitudinal terminus and the second longitudinal terminus together and compresses and tightens the body of the jacket about the external circumferential surface of the oil filter.